“After a conversation with the head of the State Border Guard Service, I decided to start an official investigation to objectively assess the actions of the border service leadership,” M. Katelynas told journalists on Wednesday.
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According to the minister, he had previously been informed that the SBGS had blocked the digging of a tunnel at the state border, but only learned about the attack on Wednesday afternoon.
“Before the Government meeting, I was disturbed by the news posted on social networks that I had not been given complete information about this incident at the border. After returning from the Government meeting, I urgently summoned (SBGS head – BNS) Rustam Liubajev to provide details about this incident,” said M. Katelynas.
“The border guard chief admitted that he takes responsibility for the fact that the importance of this incident was not properly fully assessed and the minister was not properly informed,” he added.
The first report about the incident in the Lazdijai district, in the Kapčiamiestis border post area, was made by the portal “Delfi.”
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According to the portal, after a tunnel being dug under the state border was detected, four border guards set up an ambush. The border guards detained several migrants and handcuffed them, but during the detention about 20 foreigners attacked the officers.
The officers had to flee, while the illegal migrants, including those handcuffed, escaped to Belarus. The State Border Guard Service (SBGS) announced the discovery of the tunnel and the escaped migrants but kept silent about the attack on the officers.
A pre-trial investigation has been launched by the SBGS Varėna border unit for illegal crossing of the state border.
SBGS spokeswoman Lina Laurinaitytė told BNS on Wednesday that information about the attack on the officers will be made public after receiving permission from the prosecution coordinating the investigation.
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According to the border service, the tunnel intended for illegal migration was blocked.
